HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Patriots’ Dont’a Hightower, Patrick Chung, Marcus Cannon To Return

February 26th, 2021 at 10:31am CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots are getting three of their key players back for 2021. After opting out of the 2020 season, linebacker Dont’a Hightower, safety Patrick Chung, and offensive tackle Marcus Cannon all plan to retake the field in 2021, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 

Hightower, 31 in March, was slated to make $8MM in base salary last year in what would have been his walk year. Instead, his contract tolled, tying him to the Pats through 2021. His deal isn’t necessarily cheap, but Hightower is one of the better on-ball linebackers in the NFL. Even with the numbers crunch, the Pats are expected to keep him.

And, besides, releasing Hightower would save only $9.95MM, and it wouldn’t be easy to replace his production. The same goes for Chung. Cutting him would save just $1MM on the books and he could still have a role on defense alongside the likes of Kyle Dugger and Adrian Phillips.

Cannon, meanwhile, isn’t guaranteed to remain on the roster between now and September. The Patriots could pocket $7MM by cutting him and sticking with Michael Onwenu at right tackle. Cannon has impressed in the past, but he showed signs of decline in 2018 and 2019. Alternatively, the Patriots could keep Cannon as their RT and slot Onwenu at left guard, provided that Cannon is willing to take a pay cut.

NFLPA Encourages Agent Collusion

February 26th, 2021 at 9:22am CST by Zachary Links

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith urged agents for free agents at the same position to collude and increase leverage in a virtual meeting this week (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). Smith anticipates that teams will try to cut players and dollars with the salary cap decreasing. With a bit of teamwork, Smith hopes to lessen the impact. 

The cap floor has been set at $180MM, once thought to be the potential cap ceiling. Still, the maximum is expected to be less than the $198.2MM limit from 2020. From this point forward, the cap will be largely dictated by the outcome of the league’s TV negotiations. Interestingly, Smith indicated that the cap for future seasons could still be impacted.

At the corporate level, collusion is an illegal practice. However, workers are free to collude, and use the term freely. Agents will occasionally work together to inform negotiations, but competition between player representatives sometimes gets in the way. In this unusual year, Smith wants players to be on the same page in order to get the largest deals possible.

The cap figure may fall somewhere between $182-$183MM, slightly above the agreed upon floor. It’s unlikely that the number will reach $185MM. No matter where it lands, the league will record its first salary cap decrease in over a decade.

Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin Not Opposed To Franchise Tag

February 25th, 2021 at 10:14pm CST by Ben Levine

Chris Godwin should be among the best free agent wideouts this offseason, but a franchise tag would prevent the Buccaneers receiver from truly testing his market. While the franchise tag often leads to hostility between teams and their star players, it doesn’t sound like Godwin is all that concerned about that route.

“Yeah, I mean, the way I look at it, similar to like a lot of guys,” Godwin said to MJ Acosta of NFL.com (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). “Obviously, we all want to have long-term security; we all want to be able to take care of the people that we love. So that’s the ideal situation. But, you know, a franchise tag is not something that I can control. If that’s what keeps me here, then that’s what it is. And I’ll play on it and go back to war with my guys. Like I said, I love it here in in Tampa. I love what we have building, and I would love to stay.”

If the Buccaneers do ultimately slap Godwin with the franchise tag, he’ll still see a considerable pay raise from his 2020 salary. After making $4.65MM in the final year of his rookie pact, he’d earn more than $16MM via the wide receiver franchise tag in 2021.

Godwin also discussed his impending free agency earlier this week. While he noted that the “goal obviously is to get paid,” he also acknowledged that he doesn’t want to put himself in a situation where he’s miserable.

The former third-rounder was a revelation in 2019, finishing the season with 86 receptions for 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns, leading to his first Pro Bowl nod. Despite Tom Brady passing him the ball in 2020, a reloaded offense resulted in decreased numbers for Godwin this past season. The 24-year-old ultimately finished the campaign with 65 catches for 840 yards and seven scores in 12 games. In four playoff games, Godwin caught another 16 passes for 232 yards and one touchdown.

The Buccaneers certainly aren’t strangers to the franchise tag; they used the tag on Shaquil Barrett last offseason. Instead of tagging Godwin, there’s a chance the organization could slap Barrett for a second-straight season, as Williams notes.

J.J. Watt Received Offer Worth $15MM-$16MM?

February 25th, 2021 at 9:46pm CST by Ben Levine

The J.J. Watt sweepstakes is starting to heat up. ESPN’s Dianna Russini reports that the three-time Defensive Player of the Year has “received contract offers from multiple teams.” The most lucrative offer is believed to be in the $15MM to $16MM range, per Russini.

A handful of teams have continually been connected to Watt, including the Cleveland Browns. ESPN’s report notes that it’s uncertain if the Browns are one of the squads that have submitted an offer to the veteran pass rusher. Cleveland is armed with more than $30MM in cap space and was previously deemed a legitimate threat to sign Watt.

The Bills, Packers, and Titans have also been listed as potential landing spots for the 31-year-old. Each of those three teams currently remain over the cap, so they’ve got some financial hurdles to overcome before they could definitively sign Watt to a lucrative contract. The Titans already started with some cap-saving movies, including their reported release of wideout Adam Humphries from earlier today.

One team that apparently won’t be landing Watt is the Steelers. Earlier this week, veteran NFL reporter John Clayton said that Pittsburgh won’t be a landing spot for the former Texans standout.

Watt may be getting older, but that doesn’t mean he still can’t be productive in the right role. His five sacks in 2020 were his lowest total in a 16-game campaign (but a glass-half-full mentality would observe that a 16-game season is encouraging in and of itself). Plus, Watt graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 7 overall edge defender in 2020, with the advanced metrics site praising the veteran’s work against the run and pass.

DT Quinnen Williams Wants To Be A “Jet For Life”

February 25th, 2021 at 8:43pm CST by Ben Levine

Armed with the second-overall pick and a new head coach, the Jets will surely see some major changes next season. However, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is hoping to stick around for the makeover. During an appearance on CBS Sports Radio, Williams stated his desire to stay in New York for the long haul.

“Yeah, I’d be disappointed,” Williams said when asked about the possibility of a trade (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “I really want to be a Jet for life. I like New York and I want to play in New York. I’d be disappointed if they traded me and didn’t tell me.”

The 23-year-old was the third-overall pick only two years ago, and following a disappointing rookie campaign, he showed much more of his promise in 2020. Williams started each of his 13 games this past year, compiling 55 tackles, seven sacks, and two forced fumbles. His season ended on the injured reserve with a neck injury.

Following that underwhelming rookie campaign, there were rumblings that Williams could be on the trade block. Reports at the time indicated that the Jets would want more than a second-round pick for the young defensive lineman, while others believed the organization was merely listening to offers (as opposed to actively shopping him). Those rumors could obviously be troublesome for a young player, but Williams admitted that he’s only focused on what he can control.

“I just handle what I can handle, just control what I can control,” Williams said (via Adam Maya of NFL.com). “Just go out and work hard as I can for any team that I’m on. Hopefully it’s the Jets so I can play with Coach (Robert) Saleh, but any team I’m on, I just work my hardest so that when that comes around I can be the best player I can be.”

Bears Re-Sign RB Ryan Nall

February 25th, 2021 at 7:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Ryan Nall is sticking around Chicago. The Bears have re-signed the third-year running back, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (and passed along by Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). The 25-year-old was an impending exclusive rights free agent.

The former undrafted free agent out of Oregon State joined the Bears back in 2018. He spent the majority of his rookie campaign on the practice squad, but he’s gradually gotten more playing team over the past two years. After collecting a pair of carries in eight games in 2019, Nall saw time in all 16 games this past season. He finished the year with eight receptions for 67 yards and one touchdown, appearing in 68 offensive snaps. He also saw time on 294 special teams snaps, compiling four tackles.

The Bears clearly value Nall’s special teams prowess, but barring another move, it’s unlikely he’ll take on a significantly larger role on offense. Chicago is currently rostering David Montgomery, Tarik Cohen, and Artavis Pierce, although the depth chart could theoretically see a shake up with new running backs coach Michael Pitre leading the way.

Deshaun Watson, Texans Stare Down Could Last “Very, Very Long Time”

February 25th, 2021 at 7:04pm CST by Ben Levine

It doesn’t sound like the Deshaun Watson drama is going to end any time soon. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Texans do not view the start of free agency as any type of deadline to deal their star quarterback, noting that the stare down could last for a “very, very long time.” In fact, a deal may not even happen before the draft, and some QB-needy teams are skeptical if Watson will end up getting traded at all. Free agency is set to open on March 17, and the first round of the draft is scheduled for April 29.

[RELATED: Deshaun Watson Meets With David Culley; Trade Request Remains]

NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweeted earlier today that the Texans front office “remain unwilling to discuss” Watson trades with other teams, and rival front offices have resorted to leaving voicemails with potential trade offers. SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan passesd along a similar sentiment (on Twitter), with a “high ranking personnel source” revealing that Texans GM Nick Caserio changes the subject when a Watson trade is brought up in conversation.

We learned earlier today that Watson had recently spoke with new head coach Dave Culley, but the quarterback reiterated his trade demand. Rapoport clarifies that Watson solely attended the meeting out of respect for Culley, while Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes that Watson repeated his “extremely firm stance” during the brief talk. According to Wilson, Watson told the head coach that “I don’t want to be here.”

Watson’s massive $156MM deal (with $111MM guaranteed) would appear to diminish any of his leverage, but Wilson writes that the three-time Pro Bowler had stated that he won’t play another snap with the organization. Despite this situation closing in on the two-month mark, it sounds like we won’t be getting any type of resolution any time soon.

Cowboys Not Planning To Cut Jaylon Smith

February 25th, 2021 at 5:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Faced with the prospect of franchise-tagging Dak Prescott for a second straight year, and doing so at a $37.7MM rate, the Cowboys are in a crucial stretch now that the window for applying tags is open. The team currently has less than $20MM in cap space.

While restructures will surely commence, the Cowboys do not intend to release Jaylon Smith to create additional cap space, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Shedding the linebacker’s contract would call for less than $1MM saved — in a non-post-June 1 cut scenario — against a $9MM dead-money hit. But if the Cowboys were to designate Smith as a post-June 1 release, they could save $7.2MM this year.

Dallas included Smith in its spree of 2019 extensions, re-upping the linebacker on a five-year, $63.75MM deal. Despite entering the NFL after a severe injury that caused him to miss his 2016 rookie season, Smith became a three-down linebacker with Dallas. Pro Football Focus graded the Notre Dame product as the Cowboys’ top off-ball ‘backer last season, slotting him 45th overall. That ranking provides a partial summary of one of the worst defenses in Cowboys history, and changes should be expected now that Dan Quinn is in charge. Smith and Quinn have already spoken since the former Falcons HC took the Cowboys DC job, per Hill.

Smith led the Cowboys with 154 tackles last season and totaled 142 in 2019, doing so as Leighton Vander Esch battled injuries in both seasons. The Cowboys have Vander Esch signed through 2021. While they can pick up Vander Esch’s fifth-year option by May to lock him down through 2022, the injuries Smith’s three-down linebacker mate has suffered cloud his future compared to where his stock resided after a standout rookie year. Drafted two years apart, Smith and Vander Esch are both 25.

The Cowboys, who have Smith signed all the way through the 2025 season, have until March 9 to tag Prescott. With no other quarterbacks expected to be tagged, Prescott’s tag could run more than $20MM higher than any other 2021 tag. Needless to say, the Cowboys are pushing to extend their quarterback before the tag window closes rather than have that $37.7MM number on their books going into free agency. The sides have been at this for two years now, but the upcoming tag deadline raises the stakes for the Cowboys to avoid the Washington-Kirk Cousins path.

Texans Will Not Tag Will Fuller

February 25th, 2021 at 4:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Will Fuller may be close to a lock to leave Houston now. The Texans do not intend to use their franchise tag on the five-year veteran wide receiver, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.

A Wednesday report indicated a no-tag scenario meant a likely Fuller exit, though the Texans would like to keep him. The promising but inconsistent deep threat now seems like he will be coveted in free agency, but there are certainly some red flags for teams to consider.

With Allen Robinson, Kenny Golladay and Chris Godwin on the tag radar, the likes of Fuller, JuJu Smith-Schuster and others figure to climb within teams’ priority queues in free agency. Fuller has delivered an unreliable five seasons with the Texans, having not played more than 11 games in a season since his 2016 rookie slate.

Due to the PED suspension the NFL slapped him with last year, Fuller will miss the 2021 season opener as well. However, the 26-year-old target was having his best season prior to the ban. Fuller posted career highs in receiving yards (879) and touchdowns (eight) in 2020, and the injury-prone player played in the Texans’ first 11 games.

Fuller leaving will continue a high-turnover period for the Texans’ receiving corps. The Texans traded for Kenny Stills in 2019 and cut him last year. Sandwiched in between these transactions: the trade of DeAndre Hopkins, the Randall Cobb signing and the Brandin Cooks trade. Houston has Cobb and Cooks under contract for 2021, but the hiring of Nick Caserio as GM complicates Texan holdovers’ statuses.

Deshaun Watson lobbied the Texans to retain Fuller late last year, but the quarterback has since let it be known he wants to be traded. It seems highly unlikely Watson has followed through on his effort to ensure Fuller stays in Houston.

“That’s very important,” Watson said of the Texans re-signing Fuller. “That’s definitely one guy that I’m going to be working on this last month and offseason, for sure. Will’s my brother. The whole organization knows that too. And you know, make sure that we get him back for next year, especially in this organization.”

Watson’s meeting with new Texans HC David Culley has not prompted him to retract his trade request. A year after the Texans entered the offseason with Watson, Hopkins and Fuller, the team may be without both receivers and have a quarterback intent on following them out the door.

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